Finding His Feet - episode tag to 0505 Red Dawn
by Pellegrina
Summary: Meet the newly instated consultant Patrick Jane a few days after "Red Dawn": He solves his second case, while trying to find his place at the CBI and with the team. He takes on these new challenges with his natural sense of humor and his inherent zest for life, but fights with his demons as well. And learn how the bullpen turned into the place we are used to now, thanks to Jane...


„Red dawn", though it had its flaws, was a very thought provoking episode. But, mainly, they did an excellent job turning back time, especially in that horribly arranged bullpen! I shuddered at the sight of that place, and, of course, it inspired me! How did it turn into the much homier place we are used to? Might our dear Mr. Jane have had something to do with it? And how did he manage to find his place in the fold? What about his first interactions with the team as the new and offical consultant? And what was the second case he ever solved? Well, read and find out!

This is basically a tag to episode 0505, even though it's a rather long one. I hope, I found the right tone. It wasn't easy, because Jane was still such a mess at that point and I didn't have much to base myself on regarding his interaction with the rest of the team. But I've tried to show, that he already had this incredibly charming joie de vivre, we've seen so often on the show.

And, of course, unfortunately, I do not own „The Mentalist", and I have to admit, that I'm very envious of Bruno Heller because of this... So, that I can borrow those wonderful characters for a little while is my only consolation...

Please excuse the mistakes – I'm still no native speaker and there's really no hope that I'll ever be.

Reviews are very welcome. I'm still new to this whole writing-stories-myself-business and I would really appreciate some feedback.

Finding one's feet

On the morning of the fifth day of Mr. Patrick Jane's employment as a consultant to the CBI, the man in question stepped through agent Minelli's open office door. He was wearing a three-piece suit, just like the previous days. And on closer inspection, one would've recognized that it actually was the very same outfit. Especially the shirt had definitely seen better days, but overall, at first glance at least, he looked remarkably neat. He was clean-shaven and his hair seemed washed as well, the blond curls framing his face evenly, a complacent expression rounding up the picture. He knocked on the door frame to draw the other man's attention:

„Sir, Mr. Minelli?" he asked sounding diligent.

„Yes, Mr. Jane?", the head of the SCU answered.

Having gathered the older man's notice, Jane continued conversationally: „Did you know, that some of the major components of the Chinese art of geomancy have been approved of as therapeutic concepts in medical treatment by 82.7% of the health insurance companies in the United States?"

„No-o?!" the other man admitted rather bewildered, having no idea what his counterpart was talking about.

„Yes! Isn't that amazing, sir? The Chinese, huh? Know how to do things!" the younger man exclaimed completely unperturbed.

Minelli's patience-level took a deep-dive at that moment. Slightly irritated he said: „Mr. Jane, is there an actual purpose to this conversation or are you just here to chat? I am rather busy at the moment..."

The blond smiled sheepishly at the small admonishment: „Oh, I'm sorry. sir. I didn't mean to disturb you with my twaddle. I'll come by later, when you're more relaxed. Just one thing, before I leave, you know, lighting a candle on your desk's left corner might help you concentrate better, make you more efficient. See you later, Sir."

He left behind a baffled man. Minelli shook his head in amused disbelief, but soon he forgot about the whole incident, because his work required all his concentration.

Meanwhile, the consultant had entered the bullpen with renewed purpose.

„ Ah, Agent Cho? Just the man I was searching for!" he uttered cheerily.

The other male raised his head slightly from the file he was reading. Appearing to be a bit vexed at the disruption he said: „Yes, Jane, what is it? I'm tied up."

Jane continued unflinchingly: „Right to the point, I see. I expected nothing less. Focused, straight, succinct. Say, do you happen to have issues with suppressed anger?"

„No." came Cho's deadpan answer.

Amused, the blond man carried on: „Are you sure?"

„Yes." his unwilling interlocutor deadpanned again.

„Woohoo, tell me your secret: How do you do it? Staying in control, I mean?" Jane needled him.

Another deadpan followed: „I go out on assignments, catch the bad guys, tackle them - anger relieved. Was that all, Jane? I have work to do."

The consultant showed obvious signs of amusement now. Happily he proceeded with the rather one-sided conversation: „You know, Kimball Cho, you would really benefit from a potted plant beside your chair. It would make it much easier for your qi to flow. With all those right angles around you, the suppressed emotions are sure to be enhanced, and one day, you might just suddenly explode. And with those big and mean-looking muscles of yours – someone might get hurt."

Cho rolled his eyes. Without dignifying him with another glance, he deadpanned again: „Yeah, might be you. And, I hate plants, they make me sneeze."

Jane grinned like a loon at this point. He teased: „ Oh, come on! An itty-bitty bonsai would probably already do the trick. I'll get you one during lunch break."

„Get lost, Jane. Just because I have Asian roots doesn't mean I'm interested in this crab."

The consultant had the audacity to snicker at that: „Alright, alright, no need to get into my face like that. I was just trying to help."

„Well, help someone else." Cho went back to deadpanning.

„Will do." Jane grinned with satisfaction.

With that, he went over to the other male member of his new team. Without any preamble he asked: „Wayne Rigsby, did you know that you share your given name with a serial killer?"

The agent gave a start at the sudden address, but answered his strange, new teammate friendly enough: „Yeah, I took Criminal History at the academy. But rest assured, I hated clowns even before I learnt about John Wayne Gacy."

Bemused, Jane stated: „Oh, I didn't mean to imply any other connection between you and him. Just trying to make some small talk, getting to know my new colleague and all that."

Rigsby looked at him with a very skeptical expression: „Rather strange topic for small talk – a serial killer. You're an odd one, Jane."

„Yeah, sorry, I'm afraid I'm somewhat partial to the subject." the blond man said feigning to be a bit miffed.

The gullible agent took it at face value of course. Apologetically he explained: „Oh, no, I'm sorry, Jane. Shit, I didn't mean to be crude. I have a bad habit of speaking before I think sometimes."

The consultant took instant pity on him: „No problem, agent Rigsby. No need to walk on eggshells around me. I have to get used to murders, blood and dead bodies anyway, being a consultant now and all that."

But the young man hadn't conquered his shame over his own insensitivity yet: „Still, I'm sorry, mate. Would you like some coffee? I was on my way to the break room to get a cup and maybe find something to eat as well."

Now, Jane really tried to make the poor guy comfortable again. Conversationally he said: „Oh, thanks, but I'm more the tea-drinking kind of guy. I'll accompany you, anyway, make myself a cuppa. The fumes from a well-brewed Oolong have the ability to relax me, make my energy flow better. You should try it – staring on a computer monitor all morning must be messing with your spiritedness. Relaxing fumes would do wonders."

After getting their respective beverages, they went back to the bullpen.

„I don't know. I like coffee much better." Rigsby answered, glad that he seemed to be off the hook. He sat back down at his desk, the other man crouching down on its edge.

Jane, sensing that the right moment had come to get to the real purpose of his little talk with the young agent, went in for the kill: „I see. But have you ever considered adding a well-shaped lamp to your writing table? The additional light source would be good for your eyes and improve your discretion."

Rigsby was slightly disconcerted by the sudden change of topic, but he was so happy, he hadn't really angered the other man, he decided to respond to the odd question: „A lamp? But there's more than enough light coming from the neon tubes on the ceiling."

Jane assumed a secretive voice and a bent forward, so he was closer to the other man: „Yes, well, that's kind of only what they want you to think. Scientific research by leading Harvard professors has revealed that neon light is obstructing the access to higher brain functions. Unfortunately, the results of this research are not common knowlegde, because the owner of the world's largest company manufacturing neon tubes is also one of Harvard's most potent donators."

The young agent seemed impressed with being made confidant to such an obvious conspiracy: „Really? Wow, that's incredible! So, a desk lamp could improve my performance?"

The consultant grinned in devious delight over his successful subterfuge: „Oh, most definitely!" And for good measure he added: „And, agent?"

„Yes?" Rigsby replied.

„Do you often feel especially peckish at work?"

Glad to be in the presence of someone obviously understanding him at last, he exclaimed enthusiastically: „All the time! How did you know that, Jane?"

The blond man explained amiably: „Well, that would be the neon lights as well. Did you ever realize that grocer's shops almost always have them? Makes you buy more food, cheap sale's trick."

Rigsby seemed to be amazed by the other man's wisdom. Gratefully he said: „Thanks for the advice, Mr. Jane. I'll get a new lamp right after work today!"

„You do that, agent Rigsby. That's actually a very good idea!" Jane answered with a shit-eating grin in Cho's direction. The Asian had of course followed the whole conversation and sat at his desk, shaking his head in complete disbelief at his partner's unfathomable credulity. For a split second, an amused grin found its way to his mouth. With that Jane dude around, things would at least never be boring in the future, he thought with satisfaction. Maybe the guy could even become a friend? He would reserve judgement for the time being...

With a deep feeling of accomplishment, Jane retired to his couch for a well-deserved morning nap. Half an hour later, he felt rested enough to continue his work. He sat up, took a folder from a box sitting beside him on the floor, marked with the words ‚CBI, homicides, cold cases' and started to study it in deep concentration. After a little while, he asked one of the technical staff how to watch a video recording. He got some earphones and a sat down at one of the unoccupied desks, which was equipped with the necessary devices. He watched intently for quite some time, all the while the rest of the room went for lunch. Rigsby asked him to accompany them, but he purported, he wasn't hungry. Shortly afterwards, he went back to his spot on the couch in deep contemplation. Suddenly, a look of comprehension took over his face and he jumped up, ready to enter the next phase of his plan. Agent Lisbon, just back from her own lunch break, sat at her desk in the part of the big room that served as her makeshift office. She looked up from her papers, when a curly blond head suddenly appeared in the opening that was supposed to constitute her office door.

„Ah, Mr. Jane! You left the safety of your new haunt on that monster couch? Are you finished with the Red John files already?" she greeted the newest member of her team.

„No, agent Lisbon. But I needed a break. It's not an easy reading..." her consultant replied in an awkward tone.

She looked at him with honest understanding: „Yes, I know. Take all the time you need. No reason to push yourself too hard. I'm still not really comfortable with you reading them anyway."

Trying to deflect her from this painful topic, he said: „Thanks, but don't worry, I'll be fine. Agent Minelli gave me a bunch of files on cold cases to go over. So, I've been doing that as a distraction." She interrupted him. „Why don't you take a seat, Mr. Jane? No reason to stand in that door." He went over to her rather uncomfortable red sofa and sat down. He looked at her expectantly, and when she gave him an encouraging nod, he continued: „Remember that interior designer, Steven Gerard, the one who was strangled six months ago in his shop?" She nodded again and he carried on: „Yeah, well. The victim's sister did it. She had an affair with Steven's supposedly gay boyfriend. When he found out, he wanted to throw her out of the family business. As it was her only source of income, she strangled him with the curtain hanging right behind the crime scene, as you can see on this photo. That's why the murder weapon wasn't found – it dangled there, in plain sight, so naturally, no one noticed it. But look, it's slightly crinkled in the center part, very conspicuous in an otherwise immaculate environment." He paused, before he added with a smile: „Oh, and by the way, that fabric would make for some beautiful drapes on that window over there, especially if this space was turned into an actual office for you as well. This coop isn't suitable for a hard working senior agent like you. You should complain to your boss about it. This is no condition to work efficiently."

Lisbon decided to ignore the last part of his statement : „Wait a moment there, Jane. How do you know the sister did it?"

„Oh, she said something about not liking green when agent Cho interviewed her. I watched the video recording." he stated happily, as if that would explain everything.

Not taking the bait, the senior agent asked: „What does that have to do with it?"

Feigning honest indignation he exclaimed: „Please, agent Lisbon! How can someone NOT like green? It's sick!"

Lisbon was really exasperated now. She assumed the man just wanted to aggravate her and she didn't have time for this. She new he was a bit deranged, but she couldn't very well accept such obvious drivel from him. She had to make it clear right from the start, that she wouldn't stand for any rubbish. So she warned him sternly: „Mr. Jane, that is completely preposterous! If that's how you're going to play it in the future, I'll have Minelli chuck you faster than you can say Red John!"

A dark shadow settled on his face and his eyes filled with that harried look of sadness she had seen the first time they had met a week ago. She felt instantly sorry for her harsh words. After a moment he seemed to recover his poise and explained: „Wow, agent Lisbon, calm down, will you? The curtain is green, the victim's shirt was green as well. And all the while, she was insisting, her brother had the best taste in fabrics and the like and that she was absolutely devastated about his death. And she didn't even really lie at that moment. It didn't make sense until later. Or more precisely, when her, or rather Steven's boyfriend, came into the interrogation room. He was wearing a dark green t-shirt. She took one look at him and nearly lost it completely. Believe me, she did it, and she's traumatized by her own guilt. Green's the deciding factor. And I'm rather sure it was an in-the-heat-of-the-moment thing."

Now the female agent truly regretted her heavy-handed reprimand. Her new consultant actually made a lot of sense. She was in a bit of a snit, though, because they hadn't even suspected the sister: „Very well, we'll look into it. I'll have Cho ask her to come here once more for another interview. You can watch. I hope for your sake, that you're right! She had a break down after the funeral, I wouldn't want her to relapse."

„Oh, I can't promise you that – she's the killer after all. Surely, an arrest is always a straining experience?" the blond man answered smugly, satisfied that he'd obviously made his point and she'd taken him seriously after all.

Her irritation returned immediately: „You know exactly what I mean, don't play dumb!"

Obviously, he didn't know when to stop. In a teasing voice he continued: „Got it, agent Lisbon. Now, back to those beautiful drapes we talked about earlier! You know, you could easily get a matching couch as well. Wouldn't that be comfy? The color is exactly the same as your eyes, by the way."

„What the hell are on to, Jane?" she spat in aggravation.

He replied unperturbed: „I thought that was clear? I'm giving you advice on interior decorations."

She rolled her eyes in exasperation: „You have a nerve! Why don't you improve your own exterior decoration first? Your shirt looks like you slept in it – repeatedly."

„That's because I did, ma'am. But that's beside the point. This office space is an insult to the eye!" Clearly, he didn't plan to back down.

Lisbon was more than fed up with the conversation at hand and decided to get him off her own back: „Why don't you take this up with Minelli? I don't have time for this crap!"

Jane just grinned: „Oh, I plan to! Rest assured, I plan to! Call me when Miss Gerard has arrived."

The agent decided that another reminder of her authority over him was in order: „Just so where're on the same page here: I'm the one giving orders, not you! But, in this case, I WILL call you. In the mean time, go, do something constructive!"

„But I already did, didn't I? Caught a killer for you and all." Caving in was definitely not his strong point.

In a cautionary tone she said: „Let's try to circumstantiate it first. That's how we work here as officers of the law, Mr. Jane."

„Got it! As long as you're the ones to do the boring stuff..." he answered lordly, all the while looking like a five year old. He got up from the sofa and left her domain, waving to her as a goodbye.

When he was gone, she shook her head and murmured to herself: „Somehow, I get the feeling that having that man as a consultant is going to tax my patience to the limit... God, grant me endurance!"

Jane decided that the time was ripe to pay the head of the department another visit – he had promised to do so, after all, and he wouldn't want to disappoint the boss. Just like earlier in the day, he stepped into Minelli's office, announcing his presence with a knock on the door frame:

„Agent Minelli! I hope you had a lovely lunch break!"

The older man replied with a slightly pained expression: „Ah, Mr. Jane, back again?"

„Yes, just like I promised." he grinned happily.

„Well, how can I help you?"

„Actually, I'm the one going to help you, sir." Jane explained pleasantly.

„How so?" Minelli asked skeptically.

The younger male was completely unfazed: „Do you remember our delightful little chat earlier today?"

„Yes, well mostly at least." the department head admitted.

„Well, you never told me about your view on geomancy."

Minelli was already fighting to keep his countenance. But as he had been the one who decided to take on the weird but resourceful young man, he had to bear with it now. So, with a calm he didn't really feel, he said: „Frankly, I don't have the slightest idea what you were talking about – still don't do, as a matter of fact."

Jane, on the other hand, clearly enjoyed their chat: „What an unfortunate oversight on your part, sir. A man in your position should be well-versed in any aspect of human work-performance. Something that might enhance efficiency should be on your list of top priorities at any rate, sir!"

The older man was completely confused by now, but he opted for humoring the consultant: „Of course it is, Mr. Jane. Rest assured! The well-being and productivity of my agents is always my main concern."

„Really? That's good to hear. But, is there a budget for it as well?" Jane enquired.

Relieved to have an answer ready for that question he said: „Yes, there's in fact a certain amount of money slated for just that purpose."

Now, Jane had the other man exactly were he wanted him. Preparing for his ultimate coup, he exclaimed: „Excellent! We'll need about eight to ten new desks – wooden ones would be best – they have much more warmth that way. And new chairs as well. Some new filing cabinets, maybe a few paintings on the walls, new lighting of course, semidirect would be ideal. Warm tones for the walls, maybe browns, greens and oranges to go with the furniture. The bricks of the building would also go well with it. And definitely plants in the corners, so the energy won't get stuck there."

„Mr. Jane, I don't really understand what you're talking about." Minelli cut in.

„The bullpen – that's what people here call it, right? It's design, if you dare to describe it like that, is detrimental to the health and efficiency of your subordinates." the blond man continued his explanation, and the agent interrupted him again. „Oh, please, Patrick. Our office space is just fine. We don't have the resources to change it anyway."

Jane just went on: „But the whole outline, not to mention all those gray shades and metals and bareness, it is diametrically opposed to all the pertinent rules of the Chinese system of geomancy. And, as I referred to earlier, these rules are actually officially approved of by the leading health insurance companies in this country. So, plainly speaking, you're tempting fate, if you don't do something about that area. You could be sued any day now." he rounded out his lecture.

The poor agent was thoroughly lost by now: I'm afraid, I'm still not sure I understand."

„Not to worry, agent Minelli, not to worry! Even you must spoil before you spin - no feng-shui expert ever appeared from nowhere. But don't fret – I know quite a bit about it, and I'm perfectly willing to offer my expertise." Jane explained amiably.

Something about what he'd just heard, rang a bell with Minelli: „Feng shui? I think, I've heard about that before. Isn't that some kind of hippie hocus-pocus?"

Now, Jane feigned total indignation: „You got that completely wrong, sir! As I said, its benefits have been scientifically proven. Did you at least try the candle thing I recommended this morning?"

„No, of course not! I don't even have a candle here at my office. So, that was part of this obscure Chinese bushwa, too?" Minelli answered, now sure the young man was pulling his leg. But the consultant continued with a serious expression:

„Well, why don't you give it a try first, sir, I mean, before you judge? Just to be sure, there isn't something to it after all? Incidentally, I happen to have a candle here." He retrieved a white candle and a matching holder from his vest pocket and lit it with a lighter, he'd obviously kept in there as well. „Let's put it on your desk. Doesn't it look much homier already? Why don't you look into the flame, see, how calming it is?" he steered Minelli's gaze to the flame with a soothing voice. He continued in the same fashion, letting his tone become more and more mesmerizing: „ Look into the flame. It's flickering to und fro, to and fro, to and fro. You're veeeeeery relaxed, listen to my voice, to and fro, to and fro, yes, you're veeeeeeeery calm now, how do you feel, sir?"

„Good, I feel good and calm." Minelli answered drowsily.

„Yes, that's right. You are veeeeery relaxed."

„Yes, I am. Nice flame." the older man sighed.

Continuing with his hypnotic voice, Jane went for the final chord: „Oh, yes, very nice and calming. You are getting sleepy and you close your eyes and you rest, just for a few minutes. And when you wake up again, you will feel refreshed and determined and you'll decide to give the office space a once over. And you'll finally force your boss into granting the necessary money to build an actual office for agent Lisbon. I'll snap my fingers now and you'll wake up." After first extinguishing the candle and effectively removing all the evidence, the blond man snapped his fingers with an audible noise.

Minelli came to with a jerk, a slightly confused expression on his face. He looked about as to assess the situation. His gaze landing on his visitor: „Ah, Mr. Jane. I'm afraid I was lost in my thoughts for a minute. How long have you been here? Did you say something?"

Jane answered sympathetically: „Oh, I was just telling you about my progress with those cold cases files you gave me. But, if I may be so bold and ask: What where you thinking about? You seemed miles away..."

The poor man, not knowing he had been played by a master, decided to include the other man in his sudden thought process: „You're new to this place. What do you think about our open office area? Isn't it absolutely ghastly? I really need to speak with the director. We have to do something about it! Some color perhaps, new furniture. It doesn't need to be all new. We might easily find something nicer second hand. And agent Lisbon needs her own separate space as well. She's been living with this stopgap solution too long already. Such a competent woman. She'll get far!"

„Yes, I agree, agent Minelli. She needs outstanding conditions to work up to her full potential. I've noticed that the constant noise-level is giving her headaches – I'm mean, it must be exceedingly taxing with all the paperwork." Jane concurred with him willingly.

„You're absolutely right, Mr. Jane! I will attend to it immediately! Have a nice afternoon and thanks for the lovely chat."

Jane granted him his most pleasant smile: „You're very welcome, sir. And I would be happy to assist in the redecoration, if you need help. I have been told that I have excellent taste."

Satisfied with the state of affairs Minelli returned the smile: „I might just take you up on that offer, Patrick."

„You do that, sir!" the other male said, leaving shortly afterwards.

Minelli decided he should chat with his new employee more often. He felt delightfully refreshed and ready for action.

Extremely satisfied, Patrick Jane, newly discovered interior designer par excellence, went to the break room to fix himself some tea. With the finished product, he made a beeline for the couch, which had tacitly become his already, during the few days he had spent at the CBI. He drank his tea with a languorous sigh and was about to lie down for a nap, when Lisbon strode over to him.

„Mr. Jane? Sheila Gerard is here. Cho has her in interrogation-room three. If you want to watch, please follow me."

He jumped up immediately.

„Yes, of course. How is it going to work, the watching, I mean?" he asked curiously.

„There's a one-way mirror in the room, so we'll be standing in the next room." the agent explained.

„Okay. But, you know, maybe I could question her. Agent Cho did so before without results after all." Jane told her rather smugly.

She didn't like his tone one bit: „Listen, Mr. Jane. You are not a trained cop, you have zero experience with that kind of situation. Cho is our best interrogator. Let us do our job, will you?"

His demeanor changed rapidly, his voice turning meek and subdued. As a whole, he exuded utter defeat: „Sorry, agent Lisbon. I'm sorry, I overstepped the line. It's just – I'm supposed to be your consultant, so, I, well, I thought, you know, that it would be a good idea if I actually consulted you, did something worthwhile. I didn't mean any offense, ma'am. Really, I'm sorry."

Lisbon decided that she liked this version of him even less: „It's alright, Jane. I guess we have to find out were exactly you'll fit in here with time. We're all new to this after all. And you did something useful already. Without your input, Miss Gerard wouldn't even be here in the first place." They reached their destination: „But now, hush. Cho's just started the interview."

They listened to the questioning for several minutes. Nothing new seemed to emerge, though. Jane became increasingly fretful.

„Please, agent Lisbon. Let me go in there and ask her a few questions. She's not going to break with agent Cho's methods. You want results, don't you? And frankly, this is just a colossal waste of time!"

„I understand your position, but believe me – patience is often the key to breaking a suspect. Cho will get to her, give it another five minutes." she tried to reason with him, hoping to instill some of their procedures into him.

She obviously failed, because he objected immediately, turning back to being obnoxious: „Pht, not going to happen. She had nearly half a year to get her story straight. But you're the boss, if you insist, I'll just stand here being idle instead of solving your case."

„Loose the attitude, Mr. Jane! Just because you tricked one murderer into confessing doesn't give you the right to be all cocky and big-headed! Cho has cracked many suspects before." she scolded him.

The same sudden about-turn in his behavior occurred: „Sorry, I'm so sorry, ma'am! Me and my big mouth, heh? Gets me into trouble all the time."

Another five minutes passed and Sheila Gerard just sat there, appearing to be completely unfazed by the whole interview, asking for the reason why she even had to come back in every other sentence. Even Lisbon was losing her patience:

„Alright, Mr. Jane. Maybe this whole situation really needs a different approach. Obviously, we're not getting anywhere with her. Go in, ask your questions, but I warn you: She was deemed unstable by the psychiatrists, so tread carefully."

His voice had turned snooty again: „Of course she would be unstable. Guilt tends to do that to you. But don't worry, I want her to confess, not to break her. She'll feel a lot better after confessing."

„And there's that damn cockiness again..." Lisbon said in a huff.

His reaction was immediate. He turned into the groveling wussy once more: „Sorry, agent. I'll better go in now, before you lose your patience with me. Sorry, I irk you like that."

She was truly exasperated now: „Would you stop apologizing all the time?! Either you spout off all that boast, or you truckle to me. Can you please try to find some in-between?"

„Sorry, ma'am, I mean, I'll try, agent. Might take some time though. I've never been in a position like this."

„You really are a mess, aren't you, Jane? But I will cut you some slack. The last year can't have been easy for you." she conceded.

„Yeah, well, agent, I've had better days." he said, aiming for a matter-of-fact tone.

She had to smile a bit at that: „Quite the understatement, I'm sure. And, you don't need to call me agent or ma'am all the time. Just Lisbon would be fine."

„Okay, just-Lisbon," he teased her, „I'll go and unravel that case for you, now, if you don't mind."

She rolled her eyes: „Yes, go, before I make you!"

He went out of the room and into the one next door. Lisbon watched him sit down right beside their suspect, grabbing the file folder. She jerked a bit, when just a moment later, Minelli stepped in to stand beside her.

„What's going on, agent Lisbon?"

„Oh, we're questioning a suspect in a cold case. Jane had some new ideas about the evidence. If you remember: It's about that designer who got strangled. We didn't get very far with the investigation. Cho's been questioning the victim's sister again, without any results, so I decided to let Jane have a go at her. And I might just have made a colossal error in judgement, boss."

„Let's wait and see. The man has some remarkable talents." Minelli replied.

„Yeah, maybe, but he's a real mess as well." Lisbon sighed in worry.

Meanwhile in room three, Jane had removed the same photo from the file that he'd shown Lisbon earlier. He turned towards the suspect:

„Hello, my name's Patrick Jane. You can call me Patrick. May I call you Sheila?" She nodded and he continued: „Very good, Sheila, thank you."

„What do you want from me? I still don't understand why I'm here. Is there new evidence? I thought the case had been discontinued?" their suspect asked nervously.

Jane took hold of her left hand, gave it a calming squeeze, released it again and said: „Oh, we'll get there soon, Sheila, don't worry. But before we start: You're still the owner of that lovely interior design business your brother established, right?"

„Yes, I am. But what has that got to do with anything?"

Ignoring her question he carried on: „Excellent, Sheila, just terrific! You see, I totally fell in love with those beautiful curtains on the photo here. Would you take a look at them together with me?" She looked very uncomfortable. In the other room, Lisbon uttered a distraught: „Oh, no! He didn't just start with that ridiculous design rubbish again!"

All the while, Jane continued jauntily: „Yes, I know, there's the body of your brother down there on the floor, but just try to ignore it for a minute, please. Thank you, Sheila!" He gave her a charming smile and she visibly relaxed. „See, this fabric? The green one? It's so lovely, do you still have it as part of your product line?" As she shook her head no, he exclaimed: „Oh no! Please tell me, you can get me some of it. I simply must have it! I fell in love with it at first sight, Sheila!" The young woman looked quite unsettled now. But Jane proceeded completely unfazed: „Oh, Sheila, I absolutely need some of it. I love that green color, it's divine, and that material! Actually, I want to have a scarf made of it. Just imagine, that sinfully smooth fabric all around your neck! Wouldn't it be just perfect?" At this point, Miss Gerard broke down in tears: „I killed him, oh god, I killed him! I didn't mean to, really! It just happened, I was so angry! Why did he always get everything? Even the prettiest men! But I won Phil from him! And when he realized, that I had managed to take something from him for once, he just turned his back on me and looked out of the window instead of at me, said, he was disappointed. I mean, disappointed! All calm and easy, told me, he couldn't work with me anymore, that I had to leave. And there was that horrible curtain right beside him. Something just snapped inside of me and I, oh god, I strangled him with that damn curtain. I'm so sorry! " „I know, Sheila, I know. Why don't you explain all the details to Mr. Cho here? You'll feel much better afterwards. All that guilt's been wearing you down for months now, right?" Jane said kindly and full of understanding.

„How could you possibly know how I feel?" Sheila asked slightly offended.

His face turned sad for a moment: „Oh, believe me, I know all about guilt. It's been my best friend for a year now."

He left the room at the same time Minelli and Lisbon exited theirs. A smug grin adorned his face, when his gazes met hers. „Told you so!" he said.

She didn't know whether to congratulate or slap him. But Minelli didn't have those qualms: „Very well done, Mr. Jane! Excellent work! I knew you'd be quite the asset to the CBI-family! Welcome again, to the team, Patrick!"

His whole demeanor changed at the praise. He seemed to walk straighter, and didn't look so slouchy anymore. His left arm, which he'd been using to half-hug, half-guard himself with during the last days, fell down to his side, giving him a much more open air. Even his eyes seemed less haunted all of a sudden. The female agent observed these changes with the keen eyes of an experienced detective. And she decided then and there, that she wanted to see this improved appearance on her newest addition more often, preferable on a regular basis. She'd watched the same kind of change once before, when the broken man had played his card trick five days ago. The insecure male calling himself a charlatan and a fraud, basically exposing himself as completely useless, had suddenly found his footing again. And it had been just as beautiful to see back then as it was now. She didn't much care for his bouts of cockiness, but her maternal instincts cried ‚protect!'. And now, all she wanted to see was him heal. Besides, he'd really done a good job with the questioning. His approach hadn't been exactly textbook, but he'd used his insights into the psychology behind the murder to reveal the culprit and make her confess. After only five minutes...

So she said: „I told you, you have a gift, Jane. Just don't overplay it, okay? And, good job solving the case!"

She was happy to see that his smile at her had turned into something genuine now. Minelli gave her a nod in approval and went back to his own office. In parting he said: „Agent Lisbon, I'll be by later to discuss something with you." „Yes, boss." she replied.

When he had disappeared from sight, Jane clarified: „Ah, that would be about the reconstruction of your office, I presume, Lisbon."

„What about my office, Jane?"

„Oh, I did promise you to take it up with Minelli, didn't I?" he grinned.

„You've got to be kidding! You didn't talk to my boss about this ludicrous redecorating stuff you've been bugging the whole team with all morning? Hell, poor Rigsby missed out on his lunch because he got it into his mind, he needed to buy some stupid lamp!" she bantered with him and he bantered right back:

„But Lisbon, it's a serious matter! How do you expect to work efficiently in an environment like this? Did you know that even plants have been proved to grow much better in an atmosphere of tranquil comfort? Mozart's music, for example, has been frequently recommended as the best natural fertilizer by all the leading feng shui experts in the world. If it works for some dumb plants, it should work for the top-crop of the cops."

She decided that now he had gone too far: „Mr. Jane! You're really pushing it! I know the office isn't the nicest place, but we're dealing fine with it. You, on the other hand, are a pain in my butt right now! And just so you know it: Our results are outstanding!"

„Doesn't mean, they couldn't be improved. And besides, the constant headaches you're suffering from, can't be all due to me! I've only been here a few days after all. Why are you really so opposed to a change in decorations?" he tried to wheedle an explanation out of her, because her reaction didn't make sense to him – something he found discomforting.

„Jaaaaaane! Please, let it go, okay!? I've been trying to convince the boss to do something about it for over a year now. It's a lost cause, believe me! I've given up hope and have decided to deal with the inevitable, so, to be frank, your insistence on discussing that subject is nagging me." she explained hesitantly.

He sent her a triumphant grin: „Oh, but Lisbon, Minelli has agreed to make it his top priority! He told me so himself just this afternoon. New furniture and stuff for the bullpen and a separate office for you!"

„What?! How?!" she exclaimed.

„I just made a few suggestions. He agreed – bam! Here we go – clean-up approved! You know, just a reasonable talk between two rational adults, nothing more..."

This truly alarmed her: „Somehow, I have a hard time believing this. What the hell did you do? You didn't blackmail him or something shady like that? Minelli is a very good man, don't play games with him!"

„Blackmail, agent Lisbon? How should I ever blackmail him? I've only known him for a week, what could I possibly have on him to blackmail him with? Really, now, woman, be sensible!" he huffed.

She thought she had him figured out now: „I don't believe you! You didn't talk with him at all, did you? You're actually playing stupid mind-games with me. But you won't fool me, mister!"

„Just you wait and see!" he said, his expression maddeningly smug again. They parted ways after that. Jane went to his couch, Lisbon to her desk.

An hour later Minelli entered her makeshift office space. He sat down on the chair opposite her at her desk, took a long look around the place and let his eyes rest on his best agent afterwards:

„Teresa, what do you make of our new consultant so far? Please be honest."

„I'm still withholding my definitive verdict, sir. I'm afraid, he's a boiling disaster, but on the other hand, he's obviously brilliant. He'll close cases, I'm sure of that. He comes with a high prize, though, I fear. But I'm willing to pay it for the time being. He's been dealt a horrible blow – I want to give him the chance to get back on his feet. And he has the potential to become invaluable to the team. What's your opinion, boss?" she asked.

„Oh, I agree with you, my dear. And you're the only one I trust with reining him in. And I'm willing to make some allowances – he certainly won't work by the book. Now, to the real matter of my visit: I've decided to do something about this intolerable situation regarding the office area. I'm sorry, you had to live with that interim solution for so long. I've talked to the powers that be, and it took some convincing, but they agreed that something needs to be done. So, come morning, there'll be workmen all over the place. You better warn your team. It may take a week or so, but I'm sure it'll be worth the inconvenience." he told her warmly.

„I'll be damned, the bastard! How did he do that?" she murmured.

„I'm afraid, I didn't quite catch that, Teresa. What did you say?"

„Oh, just wondered why the sudden change of heart? I've talked with you about it so many times, I'd actually given up!" she tried to cover up her original reaction.

Minelli seemed to buy it and answered: „I'm not sure. I guess, I might have read something in a magazine during lunch, some article on feng shui and candles, I don't know, but it made me think. I also talked a bit about it this morning and in the afternoon. With Mr. Jane, actually. And he agreed with me. Always good with a fresh perspective, right my dear? Well, anyway, that's what I came here for, so, I'll take my leave now. I feel this sudden urge to go home and relax. You should try it as well, agent Lisbon, you look a little stressed."

„Alright, boss, I'll try to catch an early night today. Have a nice evening, Virgil."

„You too, Teresa."

Lisbon finished the last of her paperwork in high spirits – though there still was a slight whiff of annoyance mixed in with it somewhere. Namely, because she couldn't figure out, how her new consultant had accomplished the impossible. She just knew he had a finger in that pie. Virgil Minelli's vocabulary simply didn't contain words like ‚feng shui' – it was completely unthinkable! And Jane had spent the whole morning bugging them with that nonsense. Still, whatever his ploy - the results were too astonishing for her to stay irritated. So, when she had completed her work, she went over to the couch he had claimed as his space. She found him napping there, a peaceful expression on his face for a change. Once again, she was reminded of a fallen angel and a feeling of warmth for the contrary man spread inside her. With an indulgent smile she stood over him and said: „I don't have the foggiest idea how you did that, and I probably don't want to know either, but thank you, Jane! I'm honestly glad about those renovations. You might just be a psychic after all."

A very sleepy voice answered her: „Meh, no! There's no such thing as psychics, Lisbon."

And with that, a sense of deep satisfaction filled the both of them.

14


End file.
